. 219 
.L5 fl2 
1904 
Set 1 



ANNUAL REPORT 




BOARD OF TRUSTEES 



TO THE 



ELECTORS OF 
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. I, 
• *" LARAMIE CO., WYO. 



CHEYENNE 

1904 



THE 8. A. BRISTOL COMPANY, PRINTERS AND BOOKBINDERB. 
CHEYENNK, WYO. 



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ylnnual Report 



The schools during th / vi'iir h;ivi' h.jeu liighly satisfactory-. No 
event, save the smallpox epidemic, seriously att'ected the attendance 
and good standing of the scliools. The prompt action bj' the proper 
authorities, supplemented by the action of the Scliool Board in estab- 
lishing compulsory vaccination of all pupils, removed the necessity of 
closing the scliool beycmd a comparatively short period. 

Tlie Board, with great unanimity, has worked to improve tlio 
schools, and it is hajjpy in saying that there could scarcely be a bet- 
ter .spirit among the pupils than that which is to-day shown in all 
grades, including the Higli School classes. 

The life of a teacher is not an easy one. The trials of a con.sci- 
entious teacher are not few. At best it may be said to be a wearing 
life, but the Board is justified in saying that the corps of teachers 
now employed has done the important work in its charge in a most 
satisfactory manner and in such a waj' as must be highly appreciated 
by the parents and the pujnls. 

Except in rare cases, the Board has had the support and the cor- 
dial co-operation of parents. The health of teachers and pupils has 
been exceedingly good. The average attendance as compared with the 
total enrollment lias been better than for several previous years. Tlie 
Board regrets, however, that there are a few children of tiie .school 
age who do not attend any school. Some who do not have any em- 
ployment are dissipating valuable time of the school period of their 
lives on the streets or in worse places. While there is a compulsorj' 
attendance law on tlie statute books, it is hard to enforce it ; but after 
all, the best law, so far as .school children are concerned, is tliat of 
tlie home at all times exerci.sed. The Board appeals to parents to ex- 
erci.se their right of control in tliis respect. 

The Scliool District has been embarrassed for tlie want of funds 
to do all that should be done for the betterment of tlie schools and the 
scliool property. It is witli the strictest economy that tlie Board is 
enabled to avoid a large deficiency. Tlie bonded debt, contracted a 
number of years ago to erect the required scliool buildings and to 
equip the same, is large. The annual levy of taxes for school purposes 
is necessarily high, and the Board, after meeting the teachers' salaries, 



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contiiigeut and incidental expenses, has hut little left for school build- 
ing improvements. 

To relieve other school buildings, the Board, after procuring 
plans and specifications, made certain changes in the High School 
building during the vacation of 1903. These improvements consisted 
in finishing, in part, the third storj^ of that building, erecting broad 
staircases to the same and putting in a steam heating plant to heat 
about two-fifths of the building ; so constructed, however, that the 
system could be extended at any time to cover the entire building. 
These improvements have proven of great advantage, as they enabled 
us to relieve the other crowded buildings to the extent of removing 
all teachers of the seventh and eightli grades, with tlieir classes, to 
the High School building. 

These improvements have been expensive, but as a result there 
have been well accommodated in tliis building 296 pupils in compari- 
son with 158 during the preceding year. Further improvements may 
be made in this building so as to accommodate a still greater number 
of pupils as the necessity arises. The Board thinks that these changes 
have been of very great advantage to the seventh and eighth grades 
by concentrating tliem under one roof with the pupils of tlie High 
School and in enabling us to establish the departmental plan of teach- 
ing those grades. The good effect is daily felt and we believe that 
the influence will soon be seen in the High School enrollment and in 
the increased number of graduates. 

Considerable attention has been given to athletics, military drill, 
the school magazine and literary societies. These have given spirit 
and enthusiasm to all High School work and have increased the at- 
tachment between the pupils and their school. 

Methods of teaching have been improved wherever needed. Mu- 
sic and drawing have been placed under a supervisor. By shifting 
the dividing lines between scliool buildings and by a new assignment 
of grades much overcrowding of rooms has been avoided. 

The Board, after investigating the matter, felt it to be their du- 
ty to increase the amount of insurance carried on the school buildings 
to $09,500. This has also added somewhat to our expenses. An addi- 
tional teacher, sewer tax and other extraordinary expenses cost about 
one thousand dollars. 

An increasing number of free text books will become unfit for 
use each year and must, under the law, be replaced by others. Tlie 
increase for this year amounted to over $280. 

Under the law passed by the Legislature, a careful enumeration 
of all the pupils of school age was made in the Spring of 1908. The 
same enumeration has been provided for tliis year, to be made this 
month. 

TJie scliools of Chej-enne aflt'ord an opportunity for every boy and 
girl to obtain a good education. The child is received at the com- 
mencement of tlie school age. The entire course covers a period of 
twelve years, and the law contemplates that wlien a pupil finishes 



tlie entire course he will l)e a gradnate from our High School, which 
is a distinguished lionor. The Higli School certitlcate secures admis- 
sion without further examination to main- of the great colleges and 
universities of the United States and to many of the law and medical 
schools. 

Our own State University is near at hand, and its splendid cur- 
riculum is so arranged that the High School graduate there takes up 
the studies where they have been left off, and under tlie immediate 
direction of a superior faculty can do highly satisfactory work. This 
is evidenced by the success that is being attained by many of its grad- 
uates. 

While the period of instruction in our city schools extends over 
twelve years of child life the hours required in attendance at the 
schools are scarcely more than one-fifth of the entire number of 
working hours in tliat period. It therefore requires but little sacrifice 
upon the part of parents to liave their children take the complete 
course. This would be, for all time, an incalculable advantage to 
them. 

Joseph M. Cauey, Director, 
M. E. Larsh, Clerk, 
WiLLIAlI Myeks. 
H. B. Patten, 
William Storey, 
Wm. R. Sohnitgeu, 

Trustees. 



Clerk's Report 



The expeiiditures for the fiscal year ondiiif? Ajiril 20, l'.)()4, have 
been as follows : 

Teachers' Salaries $2;},rjin).8a 

Janitors' Salaries r^, 277. HO 

Fuel, Central School |409.(55 

Fuel, High School 514.76 

Fuel, Converse School 216.52 

Fuel, Corlett School 185.72 

Fuel, Johnson School 141.94 

Fuel, Merna Scliool 18.10 1,481.69 

Water Rents 220. 50 

Insurance (Contingent Fund) 825.00 

Labor and Lumber 16.68 

Clocks 16.50 

Hardware and Furniture 648.88 

Electric Lights 12.70 

Printing 284. 85 

Freight 151.82 

Lawn 41. 10 

Interest on Warrants 546.67 

Rent, Durham School 2.00 

Supplies 571.58 

Free Text Books 1 ,058.64 

Laboratory 1)9.86 

Commencement 26.75 

Typewriter 75.00 

Enumeration (('out iii;^ent Fund) . 75.84 

Fire Extinguisliers 80.00 

Pictures 120.50 

Telephones 185. 00 

Postage and Telegrams . . 27.45 

Sewer Tax, Converse Sclu)ol 186.24 

Contingent Expenses 645.49 

High School Improvements 15,578.20 

High School Heating Plant 1,050.00 

Repairs, High Scliool 898.85 

Repairs, Central School 252.00 

Repairs, Corlett School 189.84 

Repairs, Johnson School 419.64 

Repairs, Merna School 80.56 

Repairs, Converse School 74.55 1,864.94 

Total 189,114.66 



Tlie district o-\viis real estate valued at cost as follow 

Central Building and Grounds 

Johnson Building and Grounds . 

Corlett Building and Grounds 

High School Building and Grounds ... 

Converse Building and Grounds 

MeniH School Building 

Farrell School Building . . . 

Block 596 



!j!47,l."i0.00 

12, 000.00 

12,000.00 

46,368.87 

18,186.24 

112.36 

700.00 

3,000.00 



Total Value $139,517.47 

M. E. LaPxSH, Clerk. 



Treasurer s Report 



RECEIPTS. 

General Tax % 6,037. 32 

Special Tax 26,400.27 

Received from State for Rent of Lands 5,600.78 

Received from Sale of Books, and fines 278.00 

Insurance — ^Fire Johnson Building ' 38.25 

Balance, April 20th, 1903 3,114.95 

Total $40,469.57 

DISBURSEMENTS. 

Teachers' Fund $23,949.58 

School House Fund 14,317. 33 

Contingent Fund 1,267.50 

Balance oti Hand, April 20th, 1904 985.16 

Total 140,469.57 

Respectfully submitted, 

Wm. R. Schxitger, Treasurer. 

Teachers' Warrants outstanding April 20, '04, amount to $435.00, 
leaving a net balance of $500.16 on hand at tliis date. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




021 493 768 2 



The Board siibniits llie fnllo^yillK ostimato of expen.scs for tlic en- 
Kuing j^ear, viz : 

Teachers' Salaries |2o,300.00 

Janitors' Salaries 3,400.00 

Repairs and Improvements on Scliool Biiildings 4,000.00 

Fiiel 1,200.00 

Water Rent 550.00 

Contingent Expense 1,700.00 

School Supplies 1,400.00 

Insurance 350. 00 

Free Text Books 1,400.00 

District Library 100.00 

Total 138,400.00 



